Saturday, November 6, 2010

Sharing a Slice of Life, Communications

"Write about how communications have changed during your life span, or an important phone call you've received (or made), letters of correspondence, your first brick... I mean cell phone, making the change to email & blogging, etc."

My first thought was, that old phone switching system, but, I chatted about that back in June, as a Treasure Chest Thursday post.

Next, my mind wandered over to my current cell phone, a smart phone, said phone being smarter than I, so far. I wrote about it as well, in a frazzled rant, back in October.

The two phone (systems), one rather old, the other new, and both could, did and do, frustrate me now and then.

I suppose my other most favorite (??) form of communication IS my computer. I call it my best enemy and my worst friend. My first, about 1981, was a VIC 20. Yes, way back then. Up until I started family research in late 1991 I used my computers for letters to family, including our Christmas letters (mmmm, yea, THOSE! LOL). I loved that I could type one letter and print out multiple copies, what a time saver that was for a mom with 3 sons.

Once I started family research my computer usage increased every day, month and year. Letters requesting vital records could be printed in duplicate, one to mail, one for my records and reference.

And, there was that data base, Brother's Keeper was the program I used in the beginning. No fan charts or paper pedigrees for Carol. No siree, she had a computer program to keep it all straight and print out family group sheets any one could read. Nice and neat.

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Carol and her computer on a good day!

These days I still use my computer, my Baby HP tablet computer, to record my family history. I also use the computer to store the thousands of photos Man and I have taken over the years (scanning the older ones, even slides).

I can scan or photograph documents I have collected in my almost 20 years of researching, and have them available, just a click away. I can review what these documents say and never have to cart the paper along with me.

I use my computer while we are traveling to plan the day's route, thanks to mapping programs. It can play music and show me movies. I can produce books with it. Store my addresses and phone numbers, and some other stuff I won't give away (shhhhh, secret passwords and MORE!) I write many emails, I blog, I do some of my research on the internet.

Yes, man, this gal loves her computer, but, only when it behaves. (And, believe me, you do NOT want to be a witness to my reactions when the computer is NOT behaving! Tis an ugly, ugly happening.)

From the VIC 20 with cassette tape storage to the Baby HP Tablet with 250 Gig of hard drive storage, and from toggle switching systems to a really, really Smart phone, all in a matter of about 25 some years (yea, I was still using that switch box in 1986), you know how the the saying goes,

"You have come a long way baby!"

Now, if I could just figure out this new Smart phone - - - then maybe I could call the granddaughters - - - (just kidding, I CAN make a call, it is just all that other stuff it does that I have to figure out!)

*Graphic found somewhere on the internet several years ago, source data long lost.

It is mindboggling how fast things have changed. I knew I was old in 1990 when a kindergartner came into the school office to call home and just stared at the rotary phone. Poor thing had no idea how to operate the rotary dial. A long way indeed! Well done.

Carol, Got some chuckles from your post, so I thank you. Reading about your memories and struggles brought back some memories to me. My first computer, at work, was a Wang, abt. 1980. Oh those days people were so scared of computers. Really enjoyed this post.

You had a computer in 1980? I'm so jealous. It took my dad until about 1987-88 to get us a Commodore 64. Then he went all nuts over Apple and BASIC. And no one even knows what BASIC is anymore, but they used to teach it in High School.

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All photos on this blog are those taken by Man or Moi, unless otherwise noted. Documents are either from some great genealogy site or are scans of originals I have turned up in my years of research. Other images should be accompanied by some kind of source data.

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About Me

Things I love: Family, Grandchildren, Rving, computers (sometimes, but not when they are being bad), family history, yorkies, techy toys like my iToys, photography.
I am all of these, so I write about them all, and more.

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Several family members and friends fighting pain.

Friends fighting the "C" monster, blessing to them and their families through this tough time.

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Nonprofit organization for free websites for families to stay connected during serious illnesses.

Which Am I?

Am I a genealogist or a family historian?

Well, both of course, how can you be one without the other?

A family historian depends on the genealogist to supply the facts.

A genealogist depends on the family historian to tell the stories.

Genealogist, family historian, I am one in the same.

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Favorite sayings

" Living on Earth isn't cheap, but it does include a yearly free trip around the sun." (Source unknown.)

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt

"The only difference between a rut and a grave...is the depth."

Chinese proverb: "To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root."

"I sure wish they sold memory sticks for humans...I could use an upgrade."

"Don't let procrastination be your primary time management skill."

"If you are normal....no one will listen, If you're deranged....they will make you their leader."

"You're just jealous that the voices are talking to ME!"

"I'm quite sure that no friendship yields its true pleasure and nobility of nature without frequent communication, sympathy and service." (From George E. Woodberry)

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand." (From Henri Nouwen)

"Don't go where the road leads, rather go where there is no road and make a trail."

"Broken hearts are what give us strength, understanding and compassion."